


Regina's Dog

by PlayfulMay



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dog - Freeform, F/F, Fluff and Humor, rescue dog, surprise pet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-23 01:43:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14321781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlayfulMay/pseuds/PlayfulMay
Summary: Emma gets a surprise rescue dog for Regina, and Regina definitely does NOT like the dog. Not at all ...





	Regina's Dog

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I know I have a few stories unfinished, but this one is just so sweet and fluffy. I just HAD to. You'll see what I mean (I hope).

 

Regina opened her front door on Sunday morning – poised and ready to face the world – only to be greeted with Emma Swan and … was that a dog?

“Hey, R’gina,” Emma smiled, one hand dropped to her side holding a leash and the other tucked in her jeans pocket. Regina arched a brow at how exactly the irresponsible blonde had a dog, and just what the dog was doing at _her_ house. Or what Emma was doing there Sunday morning, for that matter.

“I got a rescue dog for you,” Emma beamed when Regina was too busy taking in the sight of things to respond. “He’s a golden retriever, so I knew he’d be soft enough for you to keep in your house, but he’s big enough to make you feel safe and stuff, too. And I know he’s not a puppy, but he’s only two, and he came from a house with a family who had a baby that was allergic to dogs, so he kinda feels … I think he feels kind of rejected. I was trying to pump him up to come see you, but … he doesn’t really seem happy, huh.”

Regina kept herself poised, eyes snapping up to the ridiculous blonde she kept forcing herself to treat like a nuisance. “You got _me_ a dog. A dog I never _asked_ for.”

“Correction!” Emma answered with a dopey grin. “I got some protection for you when you said you’ve had none. Remember the other night when we had a few drinks together and you told me you’ve been feeling lonely without Henry, and not up to being on guard every second of every day?”

“No,” Regina deadpanned, crossing her arms.

“Well, whatever,” Emma whined, holding out the leash. “Won’t you at least pet him or something? He’s a dog, R’gina, not a disease.”

“The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”

“Aww, come on. Look at his dopey little face!” Emma beckoned, reaching down and petting the dog silly, crouching behind it and rubbing her face on its head. “Aww, he’s just a little muffin, isn’t he?”

The dog managed to look as unimpressed as Regina, and that made the mayor smile. Just a little.

“He may come in,” Regina answered with a smile that was kept tight-lipped, a hand reaching out for his leash, impressed when the dog stood at her invitation and meandered inside toward her. But when Emma did the same, Regina stood in the doorway. “You, Miss Swan, may not.”

 

***

 

“You got her a _dog_?!” Ruby scoffed, leaned over the counter at Granny’s after having delivered the sheriff her coffee. “For fuck's sake – if you tell me you’re into her, I’m gonna slap you right across the face.”

“Be nice to the customers,” Granny shot back from the kitchen, walking to the counter and clucking disapprovingly at the thin brunette who was leaned over the counter. “And for God’s sakes, quit flirting with everyone.”

Emma snorted and Ruby rolled her eyes, standing up again with hands on her hips: “Whatever, I stand by what I said. You’re crazy for trying to soften her up. _Nothing_ would get that woman to even smile, never mind be a fun person to talk to, and you deserve that, Emma.”

Emma shrugged: “I think you’re wrong. I think she’ll love that little guy.”

“If Regina Mills hasn’t _killed_ the damn thing by now, I’ll give you twenty bucks.”

Emma couldn’t help but grin to herself: _What kind of dog treats can I get for twenty bucks …?_

 

***

 

Later that afternoon, Emma stopped by the mayoral mansion to check out how things were going with Regina and her new dog. She knocked on the door and heard a loud bark, startled at its volume. Was the dog at the door when she got there?

_That’s some astute dog …_ _damn._

When the door opened, the dog was just sitting there by Regina’s side, staring up at Emma and barking just once more.

“Enough,” Regina said down to the dog, looking up at Emma as if the sight were typical – just her and the apparently-trained dog staring back at the sheriff.

“Traitor,” Emma teased to the dog, looking up at Regina and slipping her hands into her back pockets. “So … you and the little pooch’re getting along, hey?”

“He’s not a _pooch_ ,” Regina said as if the word were an unspeakably curse. “And he’s fine, thank you.”

“You’re gonna keep him?” Emma beamed, leaning down with excitement and letting the dog smell her hands before petting him around the ears.

“He can stay with me for the time being,” Regina said simply, “And he doesn’t like that.”

Emma chuckled and patted the sweet dog a few more times before standing up straight and pinning Regina with a grin. “I bought that dog to loosen you up a bit, too, Madam Mayor. You think you could give _me_ a smile?”

“My smiles can’t be bought.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Oh, come _on_! Look at his little face! Don’t tell me you haven’t smiled at it! The poor little thing’s just gonna get sadder! You guys have to make nice. Make each other happy.”

Regina stood a little straighter and sassed: “Is there something you needed, Miss Swan? Aside from harassing me and my dog?”

_My dog_ echoed in Emma’s mind and she smiled again. “No … but I’m gonna come back after my out-of-town trip this week, and I wanna see you both smile!” she laughed, gesturing to the two of them – odd pair that they were – and then leaning down to the dog again to tap her finger on his nose. “Beep!” The dog tipped its head in confusion. “Try and loosen the little guy up,” she said to Regina, then looking into the dog’s surprisingly emotive eyes and whispering loudly: “And try to see if you can make her laugh, huh? Do something cute.”

Regina waited impatiently as Emma stood up again, excusing herself with a little wave. “Bye, Mills’s!”

Regina scoffed and looked down appreciatively at the dog who had seemed to obey her without needing a verbal command. They had an instant connection that she treasured, albeit carefully. When she looked down to the dog and waggled her brows, nodding to Emma, the dog barked twice and scurried out toward the horrible yellow bug, startling Emma so much that she laid on the horn.

It turned out the dog _could_ make Regina laugh after all.

 

***

 

Regina went to run herself a bath that night, smiling to herself at the way the dog lurked behind her, shyly following her as if trying to hide it. When Regina went to close the bathroom door, she looked down to see the deep, sad look in his eyes and pursed her lips.

“Alright, well come on in, then.”

The dog wagged its tail, trotting to the side of the tub and sitting there beside it, staring up at Regina.

“Oh no. I’m not undressing while you stare at me. Turn around,” she insisted, making the motion with her finger only to smile that the dog had indeed turned. _My, he’s well-trained._

She undressed and slipped into the bath, talking all the while with her stoic dog until she was done – thinking better than to drain the tub when a thought struck her.

As soon as Regina wrapped a robe around herself and gestured at the tub, the dog lit up and wagged its tail, stepping toward the tub and dancing a little on its paws with excitement.

“You like baths, do you?” Regina smiled, glad that she had been able to put a kind of smile on the devoted pup’s face. “Good boy.” His tail wagged so ferociously his bum wiggled from side-to-side, and at that, Regina laughed. It was a full-bodied laugh that filled the room and had the dog dancing on his big paws, finally sliding his way into the bath and sitting there for Regina to groom him. They had a wonderful time, the two of them – Regina washing him and the dog panting happily at having such lavish attention from a woman he needed to earn respect from to be pet. The dog was in heaven with all the attention he could have wanted from his new owner, and Regina was happier than she’d been in months, bathing the sweet dog.

“I think we should give you a name, what do you think?” Regina smiled while she went to work rinsing out the dog’s fluffy, curly hair.

The dog barked once, playfully, and Regina chuckled. “Good boy.”

 

***

 

Emma returned after her out-of-city trip, drumming her hands on the steering wheel. She went to see Henry first, having a fun lunch with him out of school and then dropping him back off. Her next stop was to the station to hear how things were in her absence, and her third stop was for personal interest. She went to Regina’s house on Mifflin, wondering seriously how the dog was coping in such a prim environment. A part of Emma thought maybe for the dog’s sake, if Regina still seemed displeased and merely tolerating him, she ought to take him back. That was a sad thought, but she didn’t know what to expect.

Parking the yellow bug in the driveway, Emma got out of the car cautiously, thinking for a moment that Regina could well have trained him to attack on sight. She wouldn’t put it past the very diligent and hardworking mayor to work a dog for a week straight to do her bidding.

And then she heard it. Was that laughter?

Emma furrowed her brows and listened to what sounded like laughter, but it wasn’t coming from inside the house. She stepped aside the garage tucked in beside the house and walked back until the laughter was louder – a grin tugging at her lips at the sheer confusion of it all.

_Who in the hell is laughing like an idiot in Regina’s back yard? That’s a way to get smited if I know any …_

Emma rounded the house until she stood right beside the gate, staring stunned at the sight before her. It was _Regina_ laughing that beautiful, melodious laugh. And was she in a kiddie pool _with the dog_? Emma looked around as if she were being filmed on a prank show, eyes wide and curious.

“Bad dog!” Regina laughed in a pleasant way that told the dog she hadn’t really meant any bite to her words, but a playful sort of tease – Regina slipping into the pool when the pup rolled onto his side and scrambled up again, shaking water all over her. “Get back here!” she giggled, of all things!

Emma’s eyes slowly took in the relaxed crew neck t-shirt and yoga pants she’d worn to play with the dog, smile dropping when she noticed how wet they both were. How very, very clingy.

_Were her legs always this toned …? Oh my fucking … is she not wearing a bra?_

It took the dog’s playful bark for Emma to snap back into the situation, blinking when she noticed the dog was looking her way, signifying to Regina they had company, and then looking back at his owner with a kind of inquisitive read. He clearly took his cues from Regina’s body language, and when Regina turned and actually smiled at Emma, the dog had its answer. He ran over to the gate and let out a big, goofy bark, panting happily up at the blonde.

Emma leaned on the fence and shot Regina a glance that said the smile was a good look on the beautiful town mayor. She waited without words until Regina finally stood, chuckling when the dog scurried back to her and circled her before hopping around at her side, tail wagging faster when Regina gave him a scruffy scratch around his neck.

“Sheriff … you’re back.”

“And you’re … not Regina?” Emma teased, clearly enjoying what she saw.

Regina blushed: “Well, you must be pretty pleased with yourself.”

Emma grinned: “Can’t exactly argue with this …  and here I was, worried that you two wouldn’t be getting along.”

Regina just smiled and pet the dog some more, beaming when he licked her cheek and then laughing as she wiped it away. “Not on the face, Ozzie.”

The smile that broke out on Emma’s face was irresistibly large: “You named him, huh? Ozzie?”

“Oscar, if you must know,” Regina clarified, finally standing up to her feet and just then noticing that her dark purple shirt was not nearly dark enough to hide the fact that she hadn’t worn a bra. She crossed her arms over her chest and the her sudden change of mood had Oscar stopping at her side and keeping a watchful eye on her.

“I’ll tell you what,” Emma said, noting Regina’s discomfort and reaching behind herself to undo her bra from under her white tank top. “I’ll do you one better …”

Regina watched in disbelief as Emma took off her bra from under a thin white tank top for _her_ comfort, and then unlatched the gate, walking into the backyard in her usual jeans and boots and her very atypical braless top. Regina swallowed hard, finding it more difficult to keep her emotions inside with her loving dog in reach, reminding her the importance of happiness.

“Come ‘ere, Buddy,” Emma beamed, holding out both arms and getting down to the dog’s level.

With one look up at his uncertain master, Oscar had a little smile, and that was all he needed – barrelling into the sheriff with a wagging tail and soapy, wet fur. He gladly let Emma give him a big hug, panting onto her shoulder and then running in circles around the blonde in excitement. Was Regina going to be okay if he played with his new friend? As always, he looked back at the brunette first, gaging her every move. And when Regina let her arms down again and kneeled next to the little pool Oscar had his answer. He jumped and barked happily, running from one side of the yard to the other, zooming across with pure, unadulterated glee while Emma crossed the space between the fence and the pool. Finally crouching next to Regina again.

“So …”

“Yes, okay?” Regina smiled. “Fine. I like him. Have you rubbed it in enough now?”

Emma smiled back at her, admiring the new look on Regina – happiness. “I’m happy you’re happy, R’gina. Really. I’m just … I’m happy for you. And Oscar.”

“You know, I’ve had a lot of time to be happy with this little guy,” Regina implied, smiling a little wider at the wild abandon with which Oscar scurried over her lawn, tongue out and tail wagging. “And … well … I must admit to a certain other thing that I’ve noticed brings me a smile …”

Emma’s ears perked up, crouched next to the mayor who was so uncharacteristically on her knees, tending to a little dog pool in wet clothes and a new smile. “… Oh? … Giving Oscar baths?”

Regina looked at her with just the faintest trace of a smile left, the rest having pooled in her eyes. “ _You_ , you idiot.”

Then it was Emma’s turn to smile: “Oh.”

Regina looked down into the dirty pool and shook her head. “I never thought in a million years I’d want a dog. I mean, he’s really so filthy.”

Emma smirked to think Regina, in part, was talking about _her_. Regina never thought she would be interested in Emma, but there they were, attracted to one another.

“He’s so … high energy. He’s so …”

“Annoying?” Emma ventured to guess, making Regina chuckle.

“I wouldn’t go that far, but … look at him.”

Emma looked out to the silly dog, and Regina looked at _her_.

“He’s perfect.”

Emma laughed when Oscar fell over his own legs, recovering just as quickly and shaking off again. “I guess …?”

“Look at me, Emma.”

Obediently, Emma did.

“Thank you. For getting me the dog, but more than that ... for never giving up on me.”

Emma beamed with pride: “Of course. We’re in this together.”

It took all of one second for Regina to decide on her response to that. She leaned in, closed the space between her and the stunned sheriff, and kissed Emma on the lips. It was soft and chaste, and Regina smelled somewhat like a wet dog, but Emma couldn’t have asked for a better first kiss with the person she’d been interested in for longer than she wanted to admit. She kissed Regina back, slipping her hands up, into Regina’s wet hair and pulling the woman in for a more intimate kiss.

And then, just like that, they were splashed with a wave of soapy water, both women spluttering until they looked into the pool at a mischievous look in Oscar’s eyes – the dog sitting there as innocently as possible in his little pool.

“Oh, so that’s how it’s gonna be?” Emma joked, splashing the dog to see him take off again. “Get back here, you little moment-ruiner!”

Regina watched with a newfound happiness as Emma chased Oscar across the yard, the two of them playing and teasing. It was exactly then that Regina realized the power of happiness. It had the power to change absolutely everything.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This needs to be canon - Regina would be the cutest with a rescue dog. Just saying.


End file.
